


When He Woke

by dreamingofazriel



Category: ACOMAF - Fandom, acowar - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-21 04:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12449577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamingofazriel/pseuds/dreamingofazriel
Summary: This takes place a few hours after Cassian awoke from the fight in Hybern.  He has been asleep for 2 weeks, has just learned that Feyre is in the Spring Court and that Feyre's sister are staying in the House of Wind.  He has also been staying there to recuperate.  Azriel, Nesta, Nuala, and Cerridwen have been on Elain duty, so that she is never alone.





	1. The First Hour

**Author's Note:**

> These characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

He'd been asleep for two weeks while his wings were repaired.  Thank the Mother he didn't lose them.  As Cassian's eyes had flitted open he saw Mor there and before his next heartbeat Rhys had arrived.  Cassian sat quietly while they told him three things.  First, Feyre was his High Lady.  Second, his High Lady was now at the Spring Court attempting to bring it to its knees, and third was that Feyre's sister were here in the House of Wind.  

Cassian had never wanted to kick Rhys' ass so bad in his 500 years.  How dare he and Feyre keep this from them.  Did they not trust him, or Mor, or Azriel, or Amren?  Feyre was High Lady, if he'd only known, things would have gone so differently.  Then Mor said "Elain, she's not the same.  She hasn't eaten in two weeks.  She cries endlessly, and Nesta and Az have to coax her to even drink."  Mor looked to Rhys to continue.

"All the windows have been sealed shut.  We can open them but Elain cannot, the windows are spelled to close if the person who has opened them leaves the room." Rhys looked down, then away.  "I haven't told Feyre about Elain yet, down the bond, I can't, not with all that she's doing to take down our enemies."  

Cassian felt a surge of rage that Feyre was even in this situation.  "Has Elain tried to harm herself?" he asked flatly.

"No" Mor replied, "but the idea is there.  You can see it.  She was supposed to get married at the end of the month.  The man hates fae.  She won't take the ring off.  Its iron.  He thought it would protect her from our kind."

Cassian asked "What about Nesta?"  He was eager to ask about her, anxious even.  Mor and Rhys however were exchanging looks of frustration, and that unsettled Cassian more than anything else that he'd learned.

Rhys looked to Mor who said "Nesta, is difficult." Cassian, for whatever reason that he didn't know saw red at this but Mor continued "She has refused all of our help.  Well she accepted Az but that took about a week" Mor huffed.  "Az told her that he knew Elain well.  After all, Elain was his usual point of contact when he was dropping off letters to the queens in the human realm.  Apparently Az and Elain would sometimes spend an hour in the garden talking or she'd make him lunch and they'd have tea.  So, even though she probably only trust Azriel as far as she can throw him, its more than she trusts us" she indicated herself and Rhys.  "Now Nuala and Cerridwen, Nesta, and Azriel take watching Elain in shifts.  Azriel thinks that if Nesta finally gets more than an hours worth of sleep she'll be easier to deal with, I don't know, she seemed hard to deal with as a human.  But who knows."  Mor shrugged her shoulders and looked at him.  

"Where's Nesta now?" Cassian asked.

"On the floor below this one.  She and Elain are sharing the connected suites on that floor" Rhys said.

Cassian told them to leave so he could get dressed.  He pulled on gray pants, that hung low and a black shirt.  His arms could barely fit in the sleeves, he'd definitely bulked up since the last time he'd put this shirt on.  Of course it could have been Rhys', he still wasn't back to peak form after being under the mountain.  Whatever, he needed to find Nesta.   _Needed_ Cassian thought, he needed to find her, not want.  He practically ran down the stairs barefoot to get to Nesta and Elain's wing of the house.  He could hear her and Azriel the moment he was on their floor.

"You need sleep Nesta.  We've talked about this" Azriel was saying.

"She asked for water.  Are you going to get it?  What if she needs to use the toilet, are you going to take her?" Nesta's voiced raised everytime she said  _you_.  Cassian could have sworn he felt Azriel resisting rolling his eyes at Nesta.

"I will get Elain water.  I will have Nuala help Elain to the bathing room.  Elain needs you to rest.  How else will you be able to help her?  What if you fall asleep while she is in the bathing room?  Four hours Nesta.  I will come and wake you in four hours."  Azriel's voice was gentle with Nesta, probably for Elain's sake, Cassian thought.

"Fine." He heard Nesta say and heard the wind shift as she turned and walked out of the room and saw him at the end of the hall.

She stopped walking.  Nesta straightened her back so stiffly it looked like it hurt to do so, she raised her chin, and wrapped her arms around herself before she began to walk forward again.  

Cassian wanted to run to her but Nesta, there was something different there.  He felt a thrumming around her.  And Nesta's eyes looked molten for a heartbeat before going back to blue gray.  Cassian decided that being his same old cocky self might be easier for both of them.  He didn't need to act like some love sick, fool.  Love sick, was he?  Cassian had no idea.  But he did know that everything in Nesta's life had changed and for the moment he could be the one thing that hadn't, so he pasted on a shit eating grin and strode right towards her, "Well, being fae looks good on you, Nesta." he said as he looked her up and down.

Nesta returned the favor, "The hulking brute awakes.  It took you long enough." 

Nesta had stopped only a few paces from him, so he stalked closer to her, close enough that she walked back and hit the stone wall.  Cauldron boil him, he felt like an ass. Cassian put one hand next to her head and leaned in "Well sweetheart it seems we have an eternity to get to know one another."

Nesta pushed off the wall and quicker than she had a right to be she was standing behind him.  "I have no interest in getting to know any of you.  Stay the hell away from me."  Nesta squared her shoulders and walked away.  When Cassian heard the door to her bedroom shut, he let them smile drop.  He'd failed her, broken his promise to her, and to Elain.  He leaned against the wall, she was so damn... How the hell way he going to help her?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian gets to see for himself how Elain is coping with being fae and how it effects his family and Nesta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters are own by Sarah J Maas.

Cassian pushed off the wall and headed to Elain's room.  Azriel sat near her, window flung open and pouring her a cup of tea.  There was a stack of paperwork on the corner desk.  He assumed Az intended to work on it once Elain was asleep, probably not to be rude.  Cassian knocked lightly on Elain's door before crossing the threshold.  He met Az's eyes and everything they needed to convey to each other passed in their silent stare.  Cassian clasped Az on the shoulder before he sat on the edge of Elain's bed. 

He tried to speak softly to the delicate female, afraid that his "hulking size" as Nesta had once put it would unnerve her.  

"Hello Elain."

A tear fell down her cheek but she did not respond to him or even acknowledge that Cassian was in the room.  Cassian noted Elain's pale sallow skin, sunken cheeks, the dark circles under her eyes, and stained lines that ran from her eyes to below her jaw line.  The tear stains looked permanent, a tattoo of her pain.  Well shit, this was much worse than what he had imagined.

"I saw Nesta in the hall.  She sure does love her verbal sparing, at least with me."  Cassian glanced at Az who just nodded at him to go on.  

"Elain" Cassian said, even softer than before, "I am so sorry this happened to you.  I wish I could have stopped it.  I, there are so many things that went wrong.  But you and Nesta, I am so sorry."

Elain finally turned and faced him.  Although she was beautiful, Elain was nothing compared to Nesta, at least not in his eyes.  But the pain on Elain's face, he'd rarely witnessed such savage and raw pain splattered across another being's face.

"If you are sorry, then take me home."

Cassian shot his eyes to Azriel's who seemed, well he didn't know.  The last time he had seen that look on his brother's face was when he had found Mor in that forest after her family and Eris had brutalized her.

"I wish I could Elain but my wings aren't even strong enough to carry me."

"But they will be."  Elain's voice suddenly went shrill, almost hysterical, and loud.  Elain stood and went right to Cassian, he was afraid she was going to grab him but then she started pacing as she went on "When you are able to fly you could take me home.  You could take me to Graysen.  We could, I could tell him what happened to me.  Perhaps he will hear me out.  Perhaps this could, you could help me, make it better. Please, please help me.  Please, help me.  Help me.  Please."  Elain was crying earnestly.  

Azriel gave Cassian no help with this.  He'd probably been down this road before.

"I can't do that Elain.  Hybern could still hunt you, hurt you.  Graysen's family hunts fae.  I can't risk them hurting you."

"Please" she sunk to her knees "please, please, please.  I want to go home.  I want to go home."  

Azriel stood and picked Elain up, she clung to him, crying into his chest.  Azriel just slid down the wall until he was on his ass holding Elain, stroking her hair as she sobbed.  As he watched his brother he felt like this situation was too intimate, he shouldn't be there, shouldn't linger.  

Nesta ran into the room, saw Azriel holding a crying Elain on the floor and Cassian standing there watching them like an idiot.  "What did you do?" she snapped at him, her eyes going molten, swirling with steele.  They did not look fae, they did not look human but other, somehow.

Cassian assumed a nonchalant posture and stepped towards Nesta.  "Well sweetheart, it seems your sister wants to go home.  I told her I couldn't take her, couldn't help her.  I can't fly yet and there's Hybern and Graysen's family to contend with, I don't want them to hunt and hurt her.  Would you want me to say something different?"

Nesta stepped closer "Did you shout it at her?  Tell her she would be killed, again?"

Cassian flinched.  "I would never do that Nes" he said seriously.  

"Don't call me that!" Nesta snapped.  Then she stomped right past him and dropped down in front of Azriel.  Elain had gone quiet.  Cassian hadn't noticed he'd been too busy concentrating on Nesta.

"Elain?" Nesta asked.

"She's asleep"Azriel replied.  "As you should be.  I'll send for you when Elain wakes."

"Send for me in four hours."

"You should sleep.  You can't help her while Elain sleeps.  I'll wake you the moment she stirs, I swear it."

Nesta nodded at Azriel and stood.  She brushed right passed Cassian.  He followed shutting the door softly behind him.

"Nesta, if you're going to bed, mines bigger, more comfortable.  You're welcome to join me... anytime."

Nesta scowled at him.  "What makes you think I want to share a bed with you?"

"I saw the way you looked at me in Elain's room." Cassian smirked at her, then prowled towards her.  "You know, I'll be training later too, you could join me in the training ring.  I could help work you out, we'd get sweaty though, might have to shower afterwards.  I could help you with that too, get in those hard to reach places."  Cassian wiggled his eyebrows at him.

"You're a pig."

He oinked at her, then felt like a jackass.  Nesta twirled to leave, her dress whipping around her but Cassian caught her smile.

"I saw that" he called after her.

"No you did not" she shouted right before her door slammed shut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter. Its the end of Cassian's first full day after recovering from Hybern. Nesta opens up for a moment with Cassian, after accidently offering him a piece of toast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cassian spent the rest of the day working out, trying to strengthen his wings.  Hours had passed by with no sign of Rhys or Az.  He finally decided to hit the shower and go to dinner.  When Cassian stepped into the dining room only Mor, Amren, and Rhys were there drinks already in hand.

"Where is everyone else?" Cassian asked as he made his way to the table and flopping down next to Amren.  Across from him Rhys and Mor were exchanging looks.  "Out with it" he grumbled at the pair.  

"Well Az is still with Elain.  Cerridwen went to relieve him but he was sleeping and Rhys told her not to wake him" Mor answered before sipping her wine.  

So Cassian looked to Rhys "And Nesta?" he asked.

Again Mor answered, "She won't eat with us.  In fact Amren has only caught glimpses of her."

"I told you that I will meet the girl when its time.  I need to spend my time deciphering that book, not babysitting."  Amren began rubbing at her temples.  "It never shuts up now.  The two halves apparently have centuries to catch up on."

Cassian gave them all a frown, "So, what is the plan then?  How do we help Feyre's sisters?"

Rhys looking tired and frustrated said "Everyday I ask to help, if they need anything, and I'm told no and to go away.  Everyday Mor ask Nesta the same thing an hour or two after I do and Nesta tells her that she and Elain do not need or want our help.  Then Azriel just pushes threw Nesta and takes charge of taking care of Elain."  Rhys let out a long suffering sigh before continuing, "I'm doing Az's work most of the time.  He still needs to rest after Hybern, and Nesta trusts him enough to let Az near her and Elain.  I won't take him from them, not if it'll help my mate's family."

Cassian looked around the table at his family.  Rhys looked exhausted, Amren was frustrated and Mor seemed to have a haughty edge to her today.  Cassian stood "I'll bring them dinner."

"Why bother?" Amren asked.

"Because they need us.  Nesta can't push me away forever."   

Cassian turned to walk to the kitchen but Mor said "Don't you mean that Nesta can't push us away forever?"  Cassian stilled and looked back at Mor, she gave him an apologetic smile and said "She'll just tell you to go to hell Cass."

Cassian walked towards the kitchen growling "Well Nesta will have to learn she's not alone in this".

He heard Rhys and Mor arguing as he left them and he didn't give a shit.  Nesta may not want him around but he wasn't leaving.  He couldn't just stand by and wait for her to ask for help.  

Cassian made his way to Elain's room, the door was ajar so he let himself in and stilled at what he beheld there.  At some point Azriel had fallen asleep with Elain.  Someone, probably one of his brother's wraiths had stuck a pillow under his head.  They were laying on the floor, Elain curled into his side.  One of Azriel's arms acted as a pillow and a protector.   His other arm was wrapped around her tightly, his right wing covering them like an umbrella in the rain.  Even in sleep a tear would run down Elain's face and somehow his brother knew and would wipe it away.  Elain gave a shuttering breath and Azriel's arm tightened, his other hand smoothing down her hair has he soothed Elain back to silence.

Cassian backed out of the room quietly, or he tried to but he nearly tripped over Nesta.  She was just staring at her sister asleep in the shadowsinger's arms, her tray of broth, toast, and tea forgotten in her hands.  Cassian closed Elain's door.  

Nesta already walking away from him towards this floor's library.  She set the tray on a table and sat in one of the two chair on either side of the table.  Nesta put her head in her hands and slumped down over her knees.  

Cassian walked in and sat at the other chair, opposite of Nesta.  Maybe he could put away the cocky bastard act aside for a moment and try to talk to Nesta.

"Does that happen often?  The two of them sleeping like that, entwined together."

Nesta let out a long breath before sitting up and letting her head hit the back of the chair, "yes."

"Care to elaborate?"

"This is the fifth time I've caught them like that."  Nesta cracked her neck and knuckles and said "You can eat that if you want, I'll make Elain something later.  The other one doesn't like plain toast or broth."

" _You're_ offering me food?"

"I am offering you my sister's toast, which is cold by now."  Nesta shut her eyes and, seeming inclined to talk at the moment said "If Elain had to have a mate why couldn't it be him?  The male seems to instinctively know how to care for her.  It's almost like he's been waiting to help care for her, to rescue her."  Nesta growled, "He isn't some asshole who betrayed us.  Her betroved was bad enough with his fae hunting bullshit, but this male, Azriel he's there for Elain and can protect her when I cannot.  He seems to genuinely care for Elain."

Cassian devoured Nesta's stream of consciousness, her words flowed into him as he silently listened.  Maybe Nesta forgot he was there.  Cassian leaned forward and picked up a piece of toast and tried to bite into it silently so not to break Nesta's thoughts.

It was just toast.  Nesta had offered it and Cassian had accepted it.  As he bit into the sourdough Cassian swallowed a gasp.  A cord shot out of him, barbed with razor sharp blades from him to Nesta then back into Cassian.  

Nesta's eyes shot to Cassian's.  They just stared at each other.  Holy burning hell.  Shit.  Mother's tits.  He was Nesta's.  He was her mate.  Maybe that was why he had felt so drawn to her in the human realm.  Even when Nesta was human he couldn't stay away from her.  

Cassian breathed in Nesta's scent.  She was the crackiling embers of a blacksmith's forge, Earl Grey tea, the parchment pages of books, and an underlying scent that he knew was only for him.  Cassian couldn't decide if it was cinnamon or nutmeg but it was warm, somehow it was the warmth he craved on a winter's day.

Nesta stood.  Cassian stood.  "Is this some more of your fairy trickery?" she asked.

"No" he said quietly, calmly.  "You know it's not."

Cassian took a step towards her, then another.  Nesta watched every move, but just as Cassian reached for her, Nesta took a step back.  He wanted to reach for her, to take her in his arms, to truly breathe in that scent.  He wanted to be able to run his mouth along her throat again, but Nesta took another step away.

"No."  Nesta said it stiffly, brutally.  Her back straightened and tensed.  Whatever wall that had been down was now sealed and cemented closed.  Nesta turned and began to walk away.  Easily, it was so easy for Nesta to walk away from him, to leave him.

"I'm not giving up" Cassian called after Nesta.

"Stay the hell away from me" was all she said. Cassian stared after his mate for a long time, he wouldn't push Nesta, she wasn't ready for him, bit she knew what they meant to each other. It made sense to Cassian, no matter what he did or said these last few months everything led back to Nesta. Everything will always lead back to Nesta, he thought before trudging upstairs to bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
